Water-color painting kit



March 1949- E. F. CRANE WATERCOLOR PAINTING KIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1946 March 8, 1949. CRANE 1 2,463,749

WATERCOLOR PAINTING KIT Filed April 12, 1946 29 WWW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,463,? 49 WATEB-COLOR PAINTING KIT Edith Fleming Crane, Application April 12, 1946, Serial No. 661,534

Claims.

This invention is a kit adapted to be used with great teachers, art

(A) Color tubes and cloths;

(B) Brushes, and sketching implements; (C) Rubber cement, erasers, scrubs, and

forth;

Thumbtacks;

A sponge;

A removable water pan, divided into two parts by a partition, one part for holding clean water, and the other for water in which to wash used brushes.

may

(D) (E) (F) To provide a palette- (A) With color pans so arranged that color harmony readily follows in the use of the paints in order;

With ample mixing pans, including a center pan for mixing a pair of complementary colors in order to obtain a harmonious gray when usin complementary harmony; With a slight lift at the back of the palette, where the color (Y), yellow, is indicated, to give a better visibility of the paints wh the palette is being used, and to enable the painter to lift the palette easily from a flat surface.

. To provide a box lid- (A) To close the box and protect the paints; (B) Constructed with a thumb can be turned over and held in as a mixing palette when experimenting; To be used as a supplementary water reservoir when desired.

hand lower corner of the extends through the thumb hole in the lid and swivels to secure the lid to the palette and the box;

Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

(B) To be used as a hand rest to steady the hand when taking paint from the palette;

(C) To be used as a brush holder when the brush is wet with pant and should not be laid down touching a flat surface.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate two practical embodiments thereof, to enable wouldbe artists and amateurs to learn readily the art and to give teachers a simplified method of teac ng color;

'n the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my novel kit, showing the locking device in locking position, a portion of the lid being broken away to show the underlying palette.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the tached.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 5-5. Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the locking device in position to permit removal of the lid from the kit.

Fig. '7 is a view similar locking device in position to hold the lid on the palette and in place to be used as a hand or brush rest if the lid were removed.

As shown, my novel 't comprises a box I of general rectangular plan, preferably square, to hold a square palette and closed at (Figs. 2 and 5), while being open at the top, the said top being higher at one side than at the opposite side, and the top edges of the remainmg and 5) for the purpose Within the lower portion rality of partitions lc (Figs. at right angles upwardly from t below the upper edge of the titions all being of the same arranged to provide a large (Fig. 4) adapted to hold paint tubes and a paint cloth, a parallel compartment B, adapted to hold brushes, pencils and charcoal, a short compartment C, adapted to hold erasers, scrubs, rubber also,

the kit shown in on the to F g. 6,

showing the I its bottom la.

is adapted to hold a sponge, also a larger comso that when the palette and d are assembled on partment F adapted to ho a pan G, having a the box I e 11 will completely close the sides, partition G dividing the pan G into substanack, and top thereo The id 3 is preferably tially equal compartments, one for holding clean made of the same material as the box I, and/or water and the other for holding water for washthe palett ing the brushes, the pan G preferably being a In the front right cornerof lid 3 is an oval single pan having a central partition G; howshaped thumb opening 3b, with its short axis if ever, two separate pans may be utilized if deextended bisecting the lid from upper left hand sired in compartment F. corner to lower right, as clearly indicated in Fig.

The box I above described may be made of 1, said opening 3b forming a thumb opening plastic, pressed wood, coated with plastic paint or whereby the lid when removed from the box may enameled wood, or tin or other light material. 15 beinverted and used as an additional water pan,

Fig.

The palette 2, as indicated in Fig 1, is provided a pivot pin a passing through the ores Zmand wit a central depression 2a, and an annular sehrough the pivot opening 411 would Just allow the ries of circular depressions 2b labelled with raised J0 locking device to pass through the extensions in letters indicating colors concentric with the dethe thumb holes and 3e, the pivot to have its pression 2a, the series containing l2 such depresends riveted or otherwise enlarged so that the sions arranged as shown in Fig. 1. Between I looking member 4 may swivel on the pin 5, but each of the depressions 2b and the central decannot become disconnected therefrom the lockpression is an annular series of twelve substaning device 3 being loosely swiveled on pin 5 The ally triangular depressions 2 end of pin 5 is recessed up in the palette so no As shown, the bottom of each of the depresprojection will tip the palette. sions 2a and series of twelve depressions 2b is By the above construction, the locking device 4 semi-spherical, so they can e easily cleaned. is permanently secured to the palette 2 and serves angles at the bottoms of the depressions so paint e supported in the central depression of the can be wiped out easily. locking member adjacent the pivot 4a to keep the the rear end of the palette 2, adjacent the brush from rolling oil of the palette and daubing rear corners thereof are two further depressions surrounding surfaces And, as shown in Fig 6 d, serving as extra receptacles for black and when the locking device 4 is positioned in alignwhite, and/or gold and silver. ment with the opposed recesses 30 of the thumb Along the rear bottom edge of the palette 2 is a hole 3b, the lid may be readily lifted off of the shoulder or lifts 2e, adapted to tilt the palette top of the palette and off box I. forward when removed from the box, and placed As some persons might not desire to use the on a flat support. The base of the lift may be locking device as a hand or brush rest, the end slightly beveled so that it will lie evenly against 5, inst ad f being riveted, uld be finish d so ce. the locking device could be removed easily from As indicated in Fig. 1, the triangular depresthe palette, i. e., the end of the rod could be sions 2b are lettered to hold water colo paint threaded and a small threaded ring or nut screwed arranged in a circular spectrum for color over the end to hold it. Other removable means harmony, for instance, colors arranged in a could be used also. clockwise direction as indicated in Fig I beginlien swung into position shown in Fig. 7, the ning at the back center or top of the color wheel, 0 locking device 4 will prevent the lid 3 from being are as follows (Y) yellow (Y-G) y low-green removed from the pa ett 2.

green, (G-B gr en-blu (B) bl (B V) By the above indicated position of the locking blue-violet, (V) violet (R-V) red-violet (R) device and thumb hole, the said thumb hole 3b red, (R-O) red-orange, (0) orange, (Y-O) yelcannot expose the underlying pans or depressions low-orange. By such a disposition the paints are in the palette 2, and thus the paint in he r so arranged that opposite colors are complemensions 2b will not be exposed through the thumb colors, and the depressions 2c are adapted for use device 4 against the palette 2 alone when in the as mixing pans or to hold extra desired commerposition shown in Fig. '7, or when the palette is cial colors. in the box it can be turned so that the long arm In connection with the kit, I provide a lid 3 of lb also catches or bears against the adjacent top samearea as the palette 2 and adapted to overedge of the box 5. The lid also will prevent the lie the same and extend half-way down the paint from being exposed to dust during periods when the kit is not in use, thus preventing pre' mature deterioration of the same.

My invention provides a novel, useful and efficient means in which the colored paints in the palette 2 are arranged in labeled depressions in the order of the teaching device generally referred to as a color wheel, the paints being so placed in the depressions in the palette that opposite colors are complementary, and analogous colors. are arranged adjacent. The triads also may be readily recognized. In using the paints on my palette in any of the orders indicated, one is sure to have correct color balance or harmony in the design or picture. For convenience, the palette may be lifted from the box in which the equipment is kept, and used separately, the box being merely for storing needed material and for carrying the palette and equipment from place to place out of doors.

An explanation of the use of my color palette in securing harmony and balance of all color, is as follows.

According to my invention the color pigments are arranged and lettered in the color depressions 2b of palette 2 in the order for teaching, called a color wheel. This arrangement places the paints so that opposite colors are complementary while analogous colors are disposed adjacent; the triads are also easily recognizable. In using the paints in any of the orders indicated, one is sure to have correct color balance or harmony in the design or picture.

MINGLINGS Color harmony is the balance of all color. In working with any of the harmonies, it is advisable to make a mingling of the paints, in the harmony desired, which c n be used as the basis the chosen colors on the wet paper. the paper in the hand to guide the mingling of the paint. All hues resulting from this mingling will be harmonious. Mingling paints in this manner gives the best quality of color, and muddied effects due to mixing are avoided. If the painter desires a greater percentage of one color than another, the mingling can indicate such choices, and the paints can be used to obtain the particular hue that is most pleasing. In order to obtain balance of color and pleasing efiects use the paints in the four harmony orders, to wit, (1) complementary; (2) near-complementary; (3) analogous harmony; and (4) the triads.

COMPLEMENTARY HARMONY (1) For complementary harmony, use any set of two opposite colors in the palette 2, color pans 21) such as yellow (Y), and violet (V). Mix in equal amounts in center pan 2a to obtain a neutral gray which harmonizes with said two colors. Either color may be slightly toned for shadow by using a small amount of the other. There are six pairs of complements on the palette 2.

NEAR-COMPLEMENTS (2) For harmony of the near-complements, select a color and combine same with either one of the two colors adjacent to its complement, such as yellow (Y), with red violet (R-V) or blue violet (B-V) the colors on either side of violet (V) which is the complement of yellow. There are twelve combinations of near-complements on the palette 2 as each color can be combined with either of two near-complements.

Ammo-ops HARMONY (3) For analogous harmon use colors which are adjacent on palette 2 on which the colors of the rainbow are arranged in a circle. Use any two, three, or four colors around the palette for analogous harmony. For brilliance use four colors and one of the complements of the inner pair for shadow, such as red-orange (R-O), orange (0), yellow-orange (Y-O), and yellow (Y), the adjacent colors in pans 2b and the complement of orange, blue (B) or the complement of yelloworange, which is blue-violet (B-V). As one could choose to commence with any of the twelve colors, there are twelve such combinations of analog'ous harmonies provided for on the palette 2.

(a) In order to paint flowers of any color use analogous harmony for colors representing sunshine striking a petal to denote the hue modified by the light, and also the hue modified by shadow. So, as in painting a red flower some petals will appear yellow-orange, or orange, at least redorange where the light strikes the petals, and though the flower will be generally red, the shadows will shimmer from red-violet to violet.

(b) In order to paint round objects the swing of analogous harmony will be from the highlight on the object to the deepest hue and back again to the hue of the highlight for the reflected light underneath. The paint should be put down in elliptical zones, and five adjacent hues on the palette from the pans 2b used. The shadow cast by the object should be modified by the complement of the main hue.

(c) In order to paint pictures of the same landscape showing the atmospheric changes of the times of day use the following combinations for the difierent hours- Daylight hours, brighter or left side of palette 6 a. m., Y, Y-G, G, B-G plus B.

Y-G, G plus R-V. 10 a. m., 0, Y- ,Y, Y-G plus V.

-O, 0, Y-O, Y plus B-V. R, R-O, O, Y-O, plus B.

R-V, R, R-O, 0 plus B-G. V

Length and direction of shadows Shadows at 6 a. m. will be long shadows falling from the direction of the rising sun. They will grow shorter and swing from west to northwest until there are none when the sun is directly overhead, when they will be back of or under objects. At noon the swing in the opposite direction begins from north northeast to northeast, the shadows growing longer until they reach the longest when extending toward the east at the setting of the sun. The shadow of an object of any hue on the palette would be represented, or painted, by using the color opposite on the palette, as an object of the general hue of yellow (Y) would cast a shadow of its complementary hue, violet (V), and the shadow would be greyed as desired by mingling It yellowv with its complement, violet.

amazes 'I'Rmns (4) The triads are combinations of three harmonizing colors. The colors" of" the triads are spaced three colors apart around the palette no ere are four triads on the palette 2, to wit:

A. Red, yellow, and'blue (the first triad).

B. Orange, green and violet (the second triad).

C. Yellow-orange, blue-green and red-violet.

D. Red-orange, yellow-green and blue-violet.

Su'mmerre'd, yellow, and blue. Autumn orange, green, and violet.

inter' yellow-orange, blue-green, and redviolet Spring r'ed-Orange, yellow-green, and blueviolet.

For portrait painting", the following triads have been'used successfully by many artists:

green; or dress, red-orange.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A water tangular box outer series; further depressions adjacent the rear corners. of the palette; indieiaarranged in a you begin to select a' side of the palette along the back edge thereof.

1, said slot forming is removed and held inverted for use as a supplemental mixing palette, the sides and back of the cover serving" as: a supplemental water reservoir when so held.

hen in one swiveled position. 7. In a painting kit, a rectangular box open ette housed therein.

8. In a kit as set forth in claim 7, said lid 'a'ving a slot therein forming a thumb hole when the lid-1's removed and held inverted for use as ervoir when so held.

9'. In a color painting kit, a, square palette havsite a depression of the annular series midway between the last mentioned pair of depressions.

10. In a color painting kit, a square palette having a centrally disposed depression, and having an outer annular series of twelve other depressions disposed coaxially thereof adjacent the the palette, and having an inner annular series of further depressions intermediate the central and outer series; said palette of still further cent the rear corners of the palette; indicia arranged in a circular spectrum for color harmony opposite the outer annular series respectively with the indicia denoting the color yellow disposed opposite a depression of the annular series midway between the last mentioned pair of depressions; a pivoted locking bar disposed at the front right come the underside of the palette along r of the palette;

and a tilting rib on the rear edge.

EDITH FLEMING CRANE. 

